View clinical trials related to Biliary Atresia.
Filter by:Although considered a rare disease, Biliary Atresia (BA) is the leading cause of neonatal cholestasis and liver transplantation in children. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that drive BA. The purpose of this study is to collect the fluid samples, explanted liver tissue samples and dermal biopsy samples to enable investigators to perform the genetic and molecular analyses that might point to the gene(s) and cellular pathway involved in etiology of BA disease.
The investigator will investigate the gut-microbiome and liver elasticity of the Biliary Atresia (BA)-patients before and after Kasai operation. The data will be analyzed according to their clinical outcomes including cholangitis to find out diagnostic makers, significantly associated with the BA-phenotypes. The decision-making tree for the BA will be updated with our data, which will strength the prognosis and prediction. The establishment of gut-liver axis, featured by cholangitis and gut-microbiome will open new pathway to treat the BA using fecal microbiota transplantation. 1. Analysis of gut-microbiome: The investigator will investigate the alteration of gut-microbiome by restoration of bile flow at diagnosis, before and after Kasai procedure. In case of cholangitis after Kasai operation, signature gut-microbiome will be analyzed, which will lead to prevention of BA-patients from cholangitis via the bacteria transplantation. 2. Analysis of elastography: In order to improve non-invasive diagnosis, The investigator will investigate the alteration of liver elasticity and hepatic blood flow before and after Kasai procedure as well as upon cholangitis and choledochal cyst. Those data will be analyzed in parallel with serum biochemical markers to be associated with pathophysiological events e.g., cholestasis, cholangitis and fibrosis.
Our study aims to develop a screening test for biliary atresia (BA) using dry blood spot to improve patient survival by early diagnosis. Newborn screening dry blood spot will be examined for the direct bilirubin (DB), γ-GT or matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) levels. These findings will promote early diagnosis for BA and hence improve the survival.
A prospective observational study in infants with biliary atresia and controls to determine whether the composition of the intestinal microbiome is specific for biliary atresia will be conducted. The hypothesis of the study is "infants with biliary atresia have a unique microbiome signature at the time of diagnosis and changes in population dynamics occur during disease progression". The microbiome will be determined at diagnosis and at well-defined time points during the natural history of the disease.
Better survival and prognosis of biliary atresia (BA) depend on early diagnosis and timely Kasai portoenterostomy. Identifying BA from other causes of infantile cholestasis at early stage of the disease still remains a major challenge. In this study, the investigators aim to develop and validate a scoring system to screen BA in infants with cholestasis.
Cholestatic jaundice with multitude of causes affects approximately 1 in every 2,500 infants. Of the many conditions that cause neonatal cholestasis, the most commonly identifiable are biliary atresia (BA) (25%-35%). The incidence in Taiwan was 1.2 to 2.0 per 10,000 live birth. Prognosis and survival are improved if bile drainage is restored by a Kasai portoenterostomy. Stool color card was introduced to Taiwan in 2002 and national screening program was started in 2004. The rate of age at Kasai operation <60 days improved from 49.4% before year 2002 to 65.7% after introducing nationwide stool color card screening in Taiwan. There was a great improvement in early diagnosis for biliary atresia after stool color card screening and there were still many researches tried to improve the timing of diagnosis. A prospective cohort observational study on neonates under 27 days old at London showed that serum conjugated bilirubin > 18 micromol/l in plasma measured at 6-10 days is a reliable marker for neonatal cholestasis liver disease with sensitivity 100%, specificity 99.59% (95% CI 99.5-99.67), PPV 10.3% (95% CI 4.50-16.0). Our study aims to developed a screening test for neonatal cholestasis using dry blood spot to improve patient survival by early diagnosis of treatable neonatal cholestasis disease, such as biliary atresia and inborn error of bile acid metabolism. The diseases markers for neonatal cholestasis we aims including basic clinical blood test examination profiles, inflammatory markers, fibrosis markers, immune profiles. In phase I study we will enroll cholestasis patients at National Taiwan University Children Hospital. We will collect patients' blood on dry blood spot and measure the disease markers for cholestasis disease. In phase II study, we will enroll the cholestasis patients and healthy newborn without cholestasis. We will review their newborn screening at 3 days old. Newborn screening dry blood spot will be examined for the disease markers and compared with healthy control without cholestasis. ROC curve analysis will be performed to find the best cut-off to screen for neonatal cholestasis patients. The findings will aid early diagnosis in the patients and hence improve the survival.
Lactated Ringer(LR) has been extensively used to maintain and replace intravascular volume in a variety of anesthetic procedures. However, the utility of LR in pediatric with hepatic failure undergoing liver transplantation is unclear, because addition of exogenous lactate may increase lactate concentration. In addition,large amounts of normal saline(NS) which does not contain lactate can induce a hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and have been asociated with adverse effects on kidney injury, coagulation, and death. Accordingly, the investigators performed a double-blinded randomized trial comparing the effects of intraoperative NS or LR on outcomes in pediatric receiving Liver transplantation.
Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating liver disease of infancy, characterized by bile duct obstruction leading to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventual need for transplantation in most cases. BA is treated with Kasai portoenterostomy (KP). KPs can achieve bile drainage and improve outcomes. However, even with standard evidence of "good bile flow," bile flow rarely normalizes completely and liver disease continues to progress. In this study, the investigators test whether intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can improve bile flow after KP. The rationale is that NAC leads to synthesis of glutathione, which is a powerful stimulator of bile flow. The primary objective is to determine whether NAC normalizes total serum bile acid (TSBA) concentrations within 24 weeks of KP. Achieving normal TSBAs is uncommon with current standard-of-care, and is predicted to be associated with better long-term outcomes. The secondary objectives are to describe how other parameters commonly followed in BA change with NAC therapy, as well as report adverse events occurring with therapy and in the first two years of life. This study follows the "minimax" Phase 2 clinical trial design.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of autologous bone marrow mononuclear stem cell transplantation for Children Suffering from Liver Cirrhosis Due to Biliary Atresia
The Investigators propose to test the hypothesis that GCSF therapy enhances the clinical outcome of Kasai operated Biliary Atresia (BA) patients. In this study, Investigators will conduct a dose determination for GCSF use in post Kasai subjects to support a future phase 2 efficacy study. The first 3 post Kasai BA subjects with liver biopsy-confirmed BA will be given 5 ug/kg/d of GCSF in 3 daily subcutaneous doses starting on post Kasai day 3. A second group of 3 subjects will be assigned to the 10 ug/Kg/d dose after the 5ug/kg/d dose has been proven to be safe. The levels of circulating hematopoietic stem cells and a 1-month safety profile will be analyzed.